Bounty of TV riches makes Emmys hard to predict

"True Detective" is a frontrunner for best drama at the Emmys and both its stars -- Matthew McConaughey, left, and Woody Harrelson -- are up for best actor.

HBO's "Game of Thrones" faces still competition from "True Detective" in the Emmy race for best drama.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus might just pull a three-peat if she takes home another Emmy for best actress in a comedy series for her role on HBO's "Veep."

FX's "Fargo," starring Billy Bob Thornton, looks to freeze out the miniseries competition this year at the Emmys.

Her show "Scandal" may not have been nominated, but star Kerry Washington is up for best actress in a drama series.

Will William H. Macy win the Emmy for his role as a depraved dad in "Shameless?"

"Shameless" star William H. Macy, left, is up for an Emmy for playing a depraved dad to a mess of kids -- including St. Charles native Ethan Cutkosky as son Carl, right.

By Lynn Elber & Frazier MooreAssociated Press

Truth be told, we're both perplexed about which Emmy nominees will carry trophies home from Monday's ceremony.

Allow us to explain. There was so much great TV last season that standout prime-time shows including "The Good Wife" and "Scandal" and stars Michael Sheen ("Masters of Sex") and James Spader ("The Blacklist") didn't even make the cut as nominees.

related

advertisement

The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards

Airs at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25, on CBS

Those who did are, for the most part, richly deserving. But now how to choose among them?

Then there's this year's notable trend of shape-shifting, with programs squeezed into categories that could give them better odds of winning -- even if the fit might raise viewers' eyebrows.

Cases in point: Netflix's prison-set "Orange Is the New Black," which despite its dark content is vying with the likes of "Modern Family" for comedy laurels, and HBO's "True Detective," which looks to all the world like a miniseries yet is gunning for "Mad Men" and other open-ended dramas.

Thanks, TV academy, for keeping us all guessing!

Even so, this pair of TV devotees are game to try to read the minds of Emmy voters and, in a bit of bravado, offer up our choices for the best of the best.

Here are the contenders and our own sometimes clashing, sometimes matching picks for seven major categories:

Drama series

Lynn Elber

Should win: "Game of Thrones." An epic series from epic novels. Drop the anti-fantasy bias, Emmy.

Will win: "True Detective." Such a brilliant miniseries. But we quibble, and voters won't.

Frazier Moore

Should win: "True Detective." Grim, gritty, wickedly addictive.

Will win: "True Detective." How could Emmy snub this true masterpiece?

Comedy Series

Elber

Should win: "Louie." Honesty is the best policy -- and so brutally funny.

Will win: "Modern Family." It's big-hearted and on broadcast TV. Old school wins one.

Moore

Should win: "Louie." Emmy needs to kick the "Modern Family" habit.

Will win: "Veep." Emmy will kick the habit -- by rewarding the wrong show.

Get articles sent to your inbox.

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the X in the upper right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.